









n * 



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HAPPY HOUR STORIES 


BY 

M. GENEVIEVE SILVESTER 

H 

FORMERLY MODEL TEACHER, PUBLIC SCHOOLS 
WASHINGTON, D.C. 

AND 

EDITH MARSHALL PETER 

» 

FORMERLY DIRECTOR OF PRIMARY INSTRUCTION 
PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WASHINGTON, D.C. 






AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY 

NEW YORK CINCINNATI 




CHICAGO 


BOSTON 


ATLANTA 



Copyright. 1921. by 
AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY 
All rights reserved 


w. p. 1 



JAN -8 1921 

.©CL A6 04 918 








3 y 


PREFACE 


This little book is intended to be used as supple- 
sntary material after the child has completed a good 
basal primer. 

The stories contain the usual vocabulary found in the 
modern basal primer, and are therefore well within the 
ability of the child. The rimes or jingles involved in 
the stories need not be made a part of the child’s read- 
ing vocabulary, nor is it necessary that any great effort 
be made to have him memorize them. 

The verses are not given to be taught severely as 
reading lessons. The child usually delights in mem- 
orizing those selected, and it gives him great joy to dis- 
cover them in print. If the child is left to his own 
initiative, after he is taught the verses, it will be found 
that he will read them again and again from memory. 
This will not only add to his pleasure, but it will in- 
crease his reading vocabulary as well. 

Credit for permission to use the extract from Joyce Kil- 
mer’s “Trees” is due to George H. Doran Company, the 
authorized publishers of the poem. Credit is also hereby 
extended to Houghton Mifflin Company for permission to 
use Lucy Larcom’s “Sir Robin,” and Celia Thaxter’s 
“Wild Geese.” 


3 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Humbo and Mumbo ........ 7 

At the Seaside .... Robert Louis Stevenson 16 

Three Wishes . 17 

The Child and the Fairies 25 

Old Dunk Has Some Fun ....... 26 

Trees ........ Joyce Kilmer 31 

The Poplar Tree 32 

A Winter Song .... Emily Huntington Miller 41 

Why Bears Sleep Winters ....... 42 

My Shadow .... Robert Louis Stevenson 51 

The Rabbit’s Tail 53 

A Good Boy ..... Robert Louis Stevenson 58 

George Washington Jackson ...... 60 

Who Likes the Rain? .... Clara Doty Bates 68 

Bobby’s Fairy Shoes 71 

The Wind ..... Robert Louis Stevenson 77 

The Giraffe and the Palms . . . . . .79 

The Wild Geese . . . ♦ . . . Celia Thaxter 85 

The Boy and the Fairies ....... 86 

Sir Robin ...... Lucy Larcom 91 

The Robin’s Christmas Song 93 

The Flowers’ Party 103 

4 


Hundreds of stars in the pretty sky , 
Hundreds of shells on the shore together , 
Himdreds of birds that go singing by> 
Hundreds of bees in the sunny weather , 
Hundreds of dewdrops to greet the dawn , 
Hundreds of lambs in the purple clover , 
Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn , — 
But only one mother the wide world over. 


5 









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PARTY 


PHE FLOWERS 





HUMBO AND MUMBO 


Humbo and Mumbo 
were two little elves. 

They went into the field 
to pick blackberries. 

Mumbo ate all his blackberries. 

But Humbo wanted 
to take some blackberries 
to his mother. 

Humbo wanted a basket. 

“ I will make a basket,” he said. 


7 


So Humbo went 
to the willow tree and said, 
“Give me some willow. 

I will make a basket. 

Then I can take my mother 
some blackberries.” 

“You must get a knife 
to cut it,” 

said the willow tree. 

Then Humbo went 
to get the knife. 

Humbo said, 

“Knife, knife, cut willow 
from the willow tree, 
so I can make a basket 
to take my mother 
some blackberries.” 


J 

J 

“Get a grindstone 
to grind me,” said the knife. 
Humbo went to the grindstone. 

“Grindstone,” he said, 

“please grind knife. 

Knife will cut willow. 

Then I can make a basket 
to take my mother 
some blackberries.” 

Grindstone said, 

“Get a boy to turn me.” 



9 


Then Humbo went 
to the boy and said, 

“ Boy, boy, turn grindstone. 
Grindstone will grind knife. 
Knife will cut willow. 

Then I can make a basket 
to take my mother 
some blackberries.” 

“ I will,” said the boy, 

“ if you will make 
my bob-tailed hen 
lay a golden egg.” 

Now the little elf Humbo 
knew a witch. 

The witch lived in a hole 
in the ground. 


IO 


Her name was 

Witchity Thith Thith Thee. 



So Humbo went * 

to Witchity Thith Thith Thee. 

“ Witchity Thith Thith Thee,” 
he said, 

“ make the boy’s bob-tailed hen 
lay a golden egg.” 


Witchity Thith Thith Thee 
blew some black smoke 
out of the hole in the ground. 
Then she •came out. 

She said in a big voice, 

“ Catch the bob-tailed hen. 

Hold her by the wings. 

Turn round three times, and say, 

“ One zol, two zol, 

Ziggy zol zan, 

Bob-tailed Henny Pen, 
Ticky tol tan. 

Lay me a golden egg, 

As quickly as you can.” 

Witchity Thith Thith Thee 
went back into the hole 
in the ground. 


Humbo went to the boy’s home. 
He caught the bob-tailed hen. 

He turned round three times 
and said, 

“One zol, two zol, 

Ziggy zol zan, 

Bob-tailed Henny Pen, 
Ticky tol tan. 

Lay me a golden egg, 

As quickly as you can.” 

Then the hen laid 
a big golden egg. 

Humbo took it to the boy. 

Boy turned the grindstone. 
Grindstone ground the knife. 

Knife cut the willow. 


13 



Humbo took the willow 
and made a beautiful basket. 

He filled the basket 
with beautiful blackberries. 
He took home 
all his blackberries 
to give to his mother. 


14 


Mumbo picked a lot 
of beautiful blackberries. 

But greedy Mumbo 
never thought of his mother. 
He ate all the blackberries 
he could pick. 


And some folks say 
they made him very sick. 



15 



AT THE SEASIDE 


When I was down beside the sea 
A wooden spade they gave to me 
To dig the sandy shore. 

My holes were empty like a cup; 

In every hole the sea came up, 
Till it could come no more. 

Robert Louis Stevenson 



16 



THREE WISHES 

Once upon a time 
there were a little old man, 
and a little old woman. 

They lived 
in a little old house, 
under a little old tree. 

The little old woman 
and the little old man 
worked very hard. 


SILVESTER, HAPPY HOUR — 2 


i7 



i8 





One day the little old man 
was resting under the old tree. 

The little old man said, 

“If I could have three wishes, 

I should be happy.” 

Just then an elf flew down 
from the little old tree. 

He said, “ Little old man, 
you may have three wishes.” 

This made the little old man 
very, very happy. 

He ran to the little old house, 
and said, “ Little old woman, 
we have three wishes. 

We may wish 

for anything we want.” 


*9 


“ Good, good ! 

What shall we wish for ? 

Wish for a fine house,” 
said the little old woman. 

“No, no, wish for fine horses 
to work the farm,” 
said the little old man. 

“No, no,” said the old woman. 

“ Come, let us have dinner. 
Then we can wish,” 
said the little old man. 

The little old man was hungry. 
He was very, very hungry. 

He forgot the three wishes. 

He said, “ I wish I had 
a great big sausage.” 


20 



On the table landed the sausage. 
The little old woman was angry. 
She quarreled and quarreled. 

She quarreled all day. 

She quarreled all night, 
because the little old man 
had wished for a sausage 
and one wish was gone. 


21 


The little old man was angry. 
He was angry because 
the little old woman 
had quarreled. 

And what do you suppose ? 
He said, “ I wish the sausage 
were on the end of your nose.” 



22 



Up jumped the sausage 
and landed on the end 
of the woman’s nose. 

And the second wish was gone. 

What a sight 
the little old woman was ! 

The little old woman cried, 
and the little old man cried. 


2 3 



What could they do ? 

They both cried together, 

“ I wish it were off ! ” 

The sausage jumped off 
and the three wishes were gone. 

The little old man 
and the little old woman 
still live in the little old house, 
under the little old tree. 

And they are as happy as can be. 


24 


THE CHILD AND THE FAIRIES 

The woods are full of fairies ! 

The trees are all alive; 

The river overflows with them, 

See how they dip and dive ! , 

What funny little fellows! 

What dainty little dears ! 

They dance and leap, and prance and 
And utter fairy cheers ! [peep, 

I’d like to tame a fairy, 

To keep it on a shelf, 

To see it wash its little face, 

And dress its little self. 

I’d teach it pretty manners, 

It always should say, “Please!” 

And then, you know, I’d make it sew, 
And courtesy with its knees ! 


25 



OLD DUNK HAS SOME FUN 


Old Dunk was a tame elephant. 
He was very tame. 

He did not hurt any one. 

He went all around the town. 

He went to the fruit stand. 

The boys would call, 

“ Dunk, Dunk, 

Put out your trunk.” 
Then they would give him fruit. 

26 


One day old Dunk 
went to the fruit stand. 

Bob and Bill were there. 

Bob called, 

“ Dunk, Dunk, 

Put out your trunk.” 
Dunk put out his trunk. 

Bob gave him some fruit. 

The next day Dunk went 
to the fruit stand. 

' Bob and Bill were there. 

Bob called, 

“ Dunk, Dunk, 

Put out your trunk.” 
Dunk put out his trunk. 

Bob gave him more fruit. 

What a good time old Dunk had 


27 



to the fruit stand. 

Bob was not there. 

Bill called, 

“ Dunk, Dunk, 

Put out your trunk.” 
Dunk put out his trunk. 

Bill stuck a pin in it. 

28 


The pin hurt old Dunk. 

Dunk had not hurt Bill. 

Dunk went away. 

The next day he came again 
to the stand. 

He saw that Bob was not there. 

Bill called again, 

“ Dunk, Dunk, 

Put out your trunk.” 

Dunk put out h,is trunk. 

Bill stuck a pin into the trunk. 

But what do you think ? 

Old Dunk was ready. 

He blew a shower of mud 
out of his trunk. 


29 



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The mud went all over Bill. 
It went all over the stand, 
and all over the fruit. 


How the people laughed ! 
And old Dunk laughed, too. 


30 



TREES 


I think that I can never see, 

A poem lovely as a tree. 

> , » * 

A tree whose hungry mouth 

is pressed, 

Against the earth’s sweet 

flowing breast. 

A tree that looks at God all day, 
And lifts her leafy arms to pray ; 

A tree that may in summer wear 
A nest of robins in her hair. 

Joyce Kilmer 


3i 




THE POPLAR TREE 

A man stole a bag of gold. 
He stole the gold 
from the end of the rainbow. 
The fairies had put the gold 
into the bag. 


The old man said, 

“ The fairies will 

look and look for this gold. 

I must hide it.” 


32 


He went to the oak tree. 

He said to the oak tree, 

“ Please, please, oak tree, 
hide this bag for me.” 

“Oh, no,” said the oak tree, 
“ I am king of the oak trees. 
If I hide the gold 
that was stolen by you, 

I shall be stealing, too.” 

So he went to the pine tree. 
He said to the pine tree, 

“ Please, please, pine tree, 
hide this bag for me.” 

“ Oh, no,” said the pine tree. 
“ The gold is not mine. 


SILVESTER, HAPPY HOUR — 3 33 



If I hide the gold 
that was stolen by you, 

I shall be stealing, too.” 


He walked on down the road, 
till he came to a fir tree. 

He said, “Fir tree, fir tree, 
please hide this bag for me.” 

“ Oh, no,” said the fir tree, 

“ that I cannot do. 

If I hide the gold 
that was stolen by you, 

I shall be stealing, too.” 


34 


At last he came 
to the poplar tree. 

Its leaves were whispering 
to the breeze. 

It did not hear him comine. 

He slipped his bag 
into the poplar branches 
and went away. 



35 




The poor poplar tree 
did not know the bag was there. 

Soon the fairies found 
that the bag of gold was gone. 

They looked far and near 
but could not find it. 

Then they went 
to Mother Nature, and said, 

“ Please help us find our bag of gold.” 

36 


Mother Nature 
went to the oak tree. 

“ Have you the bag of gold 
from the end of the rainbow ? ” 
she asked. 

“ N o,” said the oak tree, 

“ I haven’t it.” 

Mother Nature looked 
among the branches of the oak, 
but could not find the gold. 

Then she went 
to the pine tree. 

“ Have you the bag of gold 
from the end of the rainbow ? ” 
she asked the pine tree. 

“ No,” said the pine tree. 

“ I haven’t it.” 


37 



Mother Nature looked 
among the branches of the pine, 
but she could not find the gold. 

Then she went on 
till she came to the fir tree. 

“ Have you the bag of gold 
from the end of the rainbow ? ” 
she asked the fir tree. 

“No, no,” said the fir tree. 

“ I haven’t it.” 


38 



Mother Nature looked 
among the branches of the fir. 
It was very dark in there. 

She did not find the bag. 

At last she came 
to the poplar tree. 

“ Have you the bag of gold 
from the end of the rainbow?” 
Mother Nature asked. 


39 


“ N o, no,” said the poplar tree. 

“ I haven’t it.” 

Mother Nature looked 
among the branches of the poplar, 
and there was the bag of gold. 

The poor poplar tree 
trembled with fear. 

“Dear Mother Nature,” it said, 
“ I did not know 
that the bag of gold 
was in my branches. 

Now I shall always 
hold up my branches 
as high as I can. 

I want every one to know 
that I am an honest .tree.” 


40 


A WINTER SONG 

Hurrah for the jolly 
old winter, 

The king of the seasons 
is he, 

Though his breath is cold 
and icy, 

H is heart is full of glee. 

He piles up the beautiful 
snowflakes, 

On the apple trees bare 
and brown, 

And laughs when the north wind 
shakes them, 

Like a shower 

of blossoms down. 


Emily Huntington Miller 



WHY BEARS SLEEP WINTERS 


Brother Rabbit 
lived in the woods. 

Brother Bear 

lived in the woods, too. 

Brother Rabbit 
was afraid of Brother Bear. 

Brother Bear would growl 
at Brother Rabbit. 

“ Gr-r-r ! Gr-r-r ! ” Brother Bear 
would growl and growl. 


42 


He would snap at Brother Rabbit. 
He would frighten Brother Rabbit 
all the time. 

At last Brother Rabbit 
could stand it no longer; 

He met Red Squirrel. 

He said, “What shall I do, 

Red Squirrel? 

Brother Bear will not let 
me alone.” 



43 



“ I do not know. 

Let us ask Mud Duck,” 
said Red Squirrel. 

They walked down the road 
till they met Mud Duck. 

“ What shall we do, Mud Duck ? 
asked Red Squirrel. 

“ Brother Bear will not let 
Brother Rabbit alone.” 


44 



“ I do not know. 

Let us ask Wise Owl,” 
said Mud Duck. 

So they walked on and on, 
till they met Wise Owl. 

“ What shall we do, Wise Owl ? 
asked Mud Duck. 

“ Brother Bear will not let 
Brother Rabbit alone.” 

“ Let me think,” 
said Wise Owl. 

“ Let him think,” 
said Mud Duck. 

“ Let him think,” 
said Brother Rabbit. 

They all let him think. 

45 



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46 




By and by Wise Owl said, 
“ Let us go and find 
Brother Bear.” 

So "they all walked along. 
They looked and looked 
for old Brother Bear. 

At last Wise Owl looked 
into a hollow tree. 

And there was Brother Bear, 
fast, fast asleep. 

The owl looked very wise. 
“ Sh ! Sh ! ” said he. 

“We must all work 
as fast as we can. 

Red Squirrel, bring leaves. 
Mud Duck, bring mud.” 


47 



Then Wise Owl said, 

“ Who will plaster up the hollow 
under Brother Bear’s big tree? 

“ I will,” said Brother Rabbit. 

So he took the leaves and mud 
and plastered up the hollow 
under Brother Bear’s big tree. 


Old Brother Bear 
slept on and slept on, 

48 


One day he awoke. 

It was so dark 

he thought it was still night. 

Another day he awoke. 

He heard the wind and rain. 


It was dry and warm 
under the hollow tree. 

So he went to sleep again. 



SILVESTER, HAPPY HOUR — 4 49 . 


At last he awoke once more. 

It was too warm in the hollow. 

So he dug away the leaves, 
and the mud, and came out. 

“It was fall when I went to sleep,” 
said Brother Bear. 

“It is spring now. 

That was a fine long sleep. 

I think I will sleep again, 
most of the time, next winter.” 


And now all bears like to sleep 
through the cold winter. 



MY SHADOW 


I have a little shadow 

that goes in and out with me, 
And what can be the use of him 
is more than I can see. 

He is very, very like me 

from the heels up to the head ; 
And I see him jump before me 
when I jump into my bed. 

The funniest thing about him 

is the way he likes to grow — 
Not at all like proper children, 
which is always very slow ; 

For he sometimes shoots up taller 
like an India-rubber ball, 

And he sometimes gets so little 

that there’s none of him at all. 


51 


He hasn’t got a notion 

of how children ought to play, 
And can only make a fool of me 
in every sort of way. 

He stays so close beside me, 
he’s a coward you can see ; 

I’d think shame to stick to nursie 
as that shadow sticks to me ! 

One morning, very early, 
before the sun was up, 

I rose and found the shining 
dew on every buttercup ; 

But my lazy little shadow, 

like an arrant sleepy-head, 

Had stayed at home behind me 
and was fast asleep in bed. 

Robert Louis Stevenson 


52 



THE RABBIT’S TAIL 


Once there was an old woman. 
She. had a garden. 

Gray Rabbit came to the garden. 
He ate the old woman’s carrots. 

The woman said to her little girl, 
“ Go into the garden 
and eat your curds and whey. 

If Gray Rabbit comes, 
make him go away.” 


53 



Gray Rabbit came, hop, hop, 
into the garden. 

The little girl said, 

“ Shoo, shoo, little rabbit, 
do not eat our carrots.” 

Gray Rabbit hopped away. 

54 


The next day the old woman 
said again to her little girl, 

“ Go into the garden 

and eat your curds and whey. 

If Gray Rabbit comes, 
make him go away.” 


Gray Rabbit came, hop, hop, 
into the garden again. 

The little girl said, 

“ Shoo, shoo, little rabbit, 
do not eat our carrots.” 

And Gray Rabbit hopped away. 



55 


The next day the old woman 
said again to her little girl, 

“ Go into the garden 

and eat your curds and whey. 

If Gray Rabbit comes, 
make him stay away.” 

The next day when Gray Rabbit 
came into the garden again, 
the little girl threw 
her curds and whey 
at little Gray Rabbit. 

Some of it fell 
on his little gray tail. 

Oh! how frightened he was! 

Now, little gray rabbits 
have little white tails. 


56 





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57 








A GOOD BOY 

I woke before the morning, 

I was happy all the day, 

I never said an ugly word, 

But smiled, and stuck to play. 

58 


And now at last the sun 

Is going down behind the wood, 
And I am very happy, 

For I know that I’ve been good. 
My bed is waiting cool and fresh, 
With linen smooth and fair, 

And I must be off to sleepsin-by, 
And not forget my prayer. 

I know that, till to-morrow 
I shall see the sun arise, 

No ugly dream shall fright my mind, 
No ugly sight my eyes. 

But slumber hold me tightly 
Till I waken in the dawn, 

And hear the thrushes singing 
In the lilacs round the lawn. 

Robert Louis Stevenson 


59 



GEORGE WASHINGTON JACKSON 


George Washington Jackson 
was a little boy. 

He was a lazy boy. 

He did not like to think. 

H is mother sent him 
to the garden 
to pick some beans. 

George Washington Jackson 
picked the beans. 

He put them into his pockets 
and lost every bean. 

6o 


“ Silly boy,” said his mother. 

“ Y ou should carry them 
in your hat.” 

“ I will remember,” 
said George Washington Jackson. 

So George Washington Jackson 
said to himself, 

“ I should carry them 
in my hat. 

I should carry them 
in my hat. 

I should carry them 
in my hat.” 

The next day his mother 
sent him to the store 
to buy some butter. 


George Washington Jackson 
put the butter in his hat 
and put the hat on his head. 


When he reached home 
the butter had run 
all over his hair. 



62 


“ Silly boy,” said his mother. 
“You should carry butter 
in your hand.” 

“ I will remember,” said 
George Washington Jackson. 
So he said to himself, 

; “ I should carry it 
in my hand. 

I should carry it 
in my hand. 

I should carry it 
in my hand.” 

The next day his mother 
sent him to the farmer 
to buy a pig. 

George Washington Jackson 
took the pig in his hands. 

63 


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The pig squealed and kicked 
till it got away. 

“ Silly boy,” his mother said. 
“You should tie 
a long string around a pig 
and pull it home.” 

“ I will remember,” said 
George Washington Jackson, 

So he said to himself, 

“Tie a long string around it 
and pull it home. 

Tie a long string around it 
and pull it home. 

Tie a long string around it 
and pull it home.” 


SILVESTER, HAPPY 


65 



The next day his mother 
sent him to the store 
to buy a cake. 

George Washington Jackson 
tied a long string 
around the cake 
and pulled it home. 


“ Silly boy,” his mother said. 
I will go to the store myself. 
66 


While I am gone, 
remember to stir the soup 
on the stove.” 

When his mother came back 
George Washington Jackson 
had stirred the soup 
all over the stove. 

There was not a drop of soup 
left in the kettle. 


What do you think happened 
to George Washington Jackson? 



67 


WHO LIKES THE RAIN? 

I,” said the duck, 

“ I call it fun, 

For I have my little 
red rubbers on ; 

They make a cunning 
three-toed track 
In the soft, cool mud. 
Quack, quack, quack ! ” 
68 


I,” cried the dandelion, “I, 
My roots are thirsty, 
my buds are dry.” 

And she lifted 
a towsled yellow head 
Out of her green 
and grassy bed. 

I hope ’twill pour! 

I hope ’twill pour ! ” 

Purred the tree toad 
at his gray back door, 

For with a broad leaf 
for a roof, 

I am perfectly weather proof.” 

Sang the brook : “ I laugh 
at every drop, 

69 


And wish they never 
need to stop, 

Till a big, big river 
I grow to be, 

And could find my way 
out to the sea.” 

“ I,” shouted Ted, 

“ for I can run, 

With my high-top boots 
and my raincoat on, 

Through every puddle 
and runlet and pool, 

That I find 

on my way to school.” 

Clara Doty Bates 


70 



BOBBY’S FAIRY SHOES 


Once there was a little boy. 
His name was Bobby. 

Bobby had a grandmother. 
His grandmother was a fairy. 
She gave him a present. 

It was a queer present. 

Guess what it was ! 

It was a pair of little shoes. 
They were not pretty shoes. 
They were heavy leather shoes. 

7 1 


His fairy grandmother said 
the shoes would help Bobby 
to be a good boy. 

The shoes would make him 
mind his mother. 

One day Bobby ran away. 

The shoes pinched his toes, 
and they pinched his heels, 
till Bobby went home. 

Once Bobby went out to play. 
When it was time to go home 
the shoes pinched his toes, 
and they pinched his heels, 
till Bobby went home. 

Soon Bobby started for school. 
Bobby did not like school. 

He wanted to play. 


72 



One day Bobby stopped 
on his way to school, 
to play in the tall grass. 

The shoes tried and' tried 
to make him go to school. 
Bobby would not go. 

The shoes pinched his toes, 
and they pinched his heels. 
They pinched his toes 
very, very hard. 


73 


“ Ouch, ouch,” said Bobby. 
But he would not go to school. 


Bobby went into the brook 
to sail a boat. 

H is shoes began to sink. 
Down, down they went. 

At last they slipped 
off Bobby’s feet. 



74 



Bobby did not care. 

Now the shoes could not 
pinch his toes, 
and they could not 
pinch his heels. 

Bobby played in the grass. 
He sailed his boat. 

He did not think 
about the little shoes. 


75 



At last he was tired. 

His little feet were 
very, very tired. 

He was very, very sorry 
he had been a naughty boy. 
He went to school. 

When he reached the school 
he heard the children laugh. 

He peeped in at the door. 
What do you think he saw ? 
Where Bobby always stood 
were his little fairy shoes. 



THE WIND 
I saw you toss 
the kites on high 
And blow the birds 
about the sky ; 
And all around 
I heard you pass, 
Like ladies’ skirts 
across the grass — 


77 


I 


O wind, a-blowing 
all day long, 

O wind, that sings 
so loud a song ! 

O you that are so 
strong and cold, 

O blower, are you 
young or old ? 

Are you a beast 
of field or tree, 

Or just a stronger 
child than me ? 

O wind, a-blowing 
all day long, 

O wind, that sings 
so loud a sonof! 

Robert Louis Stevenson 

78 



THE GIRAFFE AND THE PALMS 


Long ago all giraffes 
had short necks like little ponies, 
so the story goes. 

Little Jig Jig Giraffe 
was a naughty little fellow. 

He did not mind his mother. 

H is mother told him 
to eat the grass in the field. 

79 



Jig Jig Giraffe did not like 
to eat the grass in the field. 

One day he ran away 
to a grove of palm trees. 

He stretched up his neck 
and nibbled the leaves. 

While he nibbled the leaves 
he listened to the wind, 
as it whispered to the palm trees. 


80 


The palm trees did not like 
to have their leaves nibbled. 
They did not like 
to have' Jig Jig listen 
when the wind whispered. 

So they held their branches 
a little higher, and said, 

“Jig Jig Giraffe, 
do not nibble our leaves. 

Do not listen when the wind 
whispers to the palm trees.” 

But the very next day 
naughty little Jig Jig Giraffe 
went to the palms again. 

He stretched a little higher. 
He nibbled the leaves, 
and he listened to the breeze. 


SILVESTER, HAPPY HOUR — 6 



The palm trees said again, 
“Jig Jig Giraffe, 

do not nibble our leaves. 

You should not listen 
when the wind whispers 
to the palm trees.” 

And they lifted their branches 
a little higher. 


82 


But still each day 
Jig Jig went to the grove. 

Each day he stretched up 
a little higher. 

He nibbled the leaves. 

He listened to what the wind 
whispered to the palm trees. 

The palm trees were angry. 
They lifted their branches 
higher and higher. 

But Jig Jig did not care. 

He went day after day. 

He stretched higher and higher. 
He nibbled and nibbled. 

He stretched and stretched. 

And Jig Jig’s neck began 
to grow and grow. 


83 


And Jig Jig’s legs kept on 
growing and growing. 

The palm trees lifted 
their branches higher and higher. 

Now all giraffes have 
long necks and long legs. 

But the palm trees hold 
their branches so high in the air, 
that no giraffes 
can nibble their leaves. 

And giraffes cannot hear 

what the wind whispers to the trees. 



84 


THE WILD GEESE 



The wild wind blows, 
the sun shines, 

the birds sing loud, 

The blue, blue sky 
is flecked with fleecy 
dappled cloud. 

Over earth’s rejoicing fields 
the children 

dance and sing, 

And the frogs pipe in chorus, 
“It is spring! 

It is spring!” 


85 


Celia Thaxter 



THE BOY AND THE FAIRIES 


Dicky was a little boy 
who did not believe in fairies. 

One night he went to bed. 

A fairy came to see him, 
but he did not see the fairy. 

She kissed Dicky on the cheek. 
Then Dicky could see her. 

“H ow beautiful you are ! ” 

Dicky said. 


86 


“How beautiful your wings are! 

I wish I could have wings 
so I might fly away ! ” 

The fairy kissed Dicky 
on the other cheek. 

Then he had wings 
like the fairy’s. 

She took him by the hand 
and they flew away to fairyland. 

The fairies had a castle 
in fairyland. 

The little fairy took Dicky 
into the castle to see 
the queen of the fairies. 

The queen put a fairy cap 
on Dicky’s head. 

Then Dicky became little like a fairy. 
87 








He hid under the oak leaves. 
He drank the dewdrops 
from the buttercups. 

He jumped on the back 
of a grasshopper 
and rode all over fairyland. 

Then it was time to go home. 
The queen took off Dicky’s cap. 
The fairy took the boy home. 

89 


She tucked him in his own bed. 

When he awoke he told his mother 
about his visit to fairyland. 

She said it was a dream. 

But there was a little dimple 
in each of Dicky’s cheeks, 
where the fairy had kissed him. 

Now Dicky believes in fairies. 



90 



Rollicking Robin 
is here again. 

What does he care 
for the April rain ? 
Care for it ? Glad of it. 


91 


Doesn’t he know 
That the April rain 
carries off the snow, 

And coaxes out leaves 
to shadow his nest, 

And washes his pretty 
red Easter vest, 

And makes the juice 
of the cherry • sweet, 

For his hungry 

little robins to eat ? 

“ Ha, ha, ha ! ” hear 
the jolly bird laugh, 

“ That isn’t the best 

of the story, by half ! ” 

Lucy Larcom 


92 



THE ROBIN’S CHRISTMAS SONG 
It was Christmas day. 

Robin Redbreast was happy. 

He was very, very happy. 

H is heart was full of song. 

“ I must sing,” said Robin. 

“ I must sing a Christmas song. 

I must sing for the King.” 

And away Robin flew, 
to the little pine tree. 

Under the little pine tree, 
sat old gray Pussy Cat. 


93 


“ Where are you going, 
little Robin Redbreast, 
on such a fine day ? ” 
asked gray Pussy Cat 

“ O Pussy, I am so happy ! 

I must sing, sing, sing ! 

I am on my way to the palace, 
to sing for our wonderful King,” 
said little Robin Redbreast. 

“ Do not go now,” said Pussy, 
“stay and play with me. 

I have my Christmas dinner, 
under this little pine tree.” 

“ N o, thank you, Pussy,” 
said little Robin Redbreast. 


94 



“You would like a little bird 
for your Christmas dinner, 

I know, but you cannot have me.” 


And away flew little Robin 
to the top of the old barn. 
There he saw Greedy Hawk, 
blinking in the sun. 

“ Where are you going, 
little Robin Redbreast, 
on such a fine day?” 
asked old Greedy Hawk. 


95 


“ Old Hawk, I am so happy, 

I must sing, sing, sing ! 

I am on my way to the palace, 
to sing for our wonderful King,” 
said little Robin Redbreast. 

“ Do not go now,” said old Hawk, 
“ stay and play with me. 

My Christmas dinner I shall eat 
in the old hollow tree.” 

“No, thank you, Mr. Hawk,” 
said little Robin Redbreast. 



96 


“You would like a little bird 
for your Christmas dinner, 

I know, but you cannot have me.” 

And away flew the little robin 
to the big road by the pond. 
Across the pond sat 
a big Red Fox. 

“ Where are you going, 
little Robin Redbreast, 
on such a fine day ? ” 
called the old Red Fox. 

“Old Fox, I am so happy, 

I must sing, sing, sing! 

I am on my way to the palace, 
to sing for our wonderful King,” 
said little Robin Redbreast. 


SILVESTER, HAPPY 


-7 97 



“ Do not go now,” said Red Fox, 
“stay and play with me. 

My Christmas dinner I shall eat 
under that big oak tree.” 

“ N o, thank you, Red F ox,” 
said little Robin Redbreast. 

“You would like a little bird 

98 



for your Christmas dinner, 

I know, but you cannot have me.” 

Away flew the little robin 
until he came to the brook. 

Beside the brook sat a little boy. 

“ Where are you going, 
little Robin Redbreast ? ” 
asked the little boy. 



99 


“ Little boy, I am so happy, 

I must sing, sing, sing! 

I am on my way to the palace, 
to sing for our wonderful King,” 
said little Robin Redbreast. 

“ Do not go now,” said the boy, 
“ stay and play with me. 

I have my Christmas dinner, 
near a real Christmas tree.” 

“ N o, thank you, boy,” 
said little Robin Redbreast. 

“ I saw you catch 
a poor little snowbird 
that was eating crumbs 
beside your kitchen door. 

You cannot have me.” 


IOO 


And away flew the little 
Robin Redbreast. 

At last the robin came 
to the beautiful palace 
where the King lived. 

The little Robin Redbreast 
flew to the top 

of a wonderful Christmas tree 
that was under the window 
of the King’s palace. 

He sang the sweetest song 
the King had ever heard. 

“What can we do 
for little Robin Redbreast ? ” 
said the good King. 



The Queen thought and thought. 
The King thought and thought. 
At last the King said, “ I know. 
We will make our trees homes 
for all the little robins. 

Then we can always hear 
the songs the robins sing.” 


102 


THE FLOWERS’ PARTY 

One day Mother Nature said, 

“ I am going to give a party 
to all my little flowers. 

I shall ask the Busy Bees 
and the Little Breezes 
to come, too, for the flowers 
are never happy without them.” 

She called the flowers and said, 
“ My children, we want 
to have a merry time, 
so each must do his part 
to entertain our friends. 

I want you all to think 
what you would like to do.” 

So all the little flowers 
began to think and think. 


103 



Mother Nature called to the bluebells, 


“Pretty little Bluebells, 
what would you like to do, 
to make your friends happy, 
so that you’ll be happy too ? ” 

“ Mother dear,” they said, 

“we will ring our blue bells. 

Then all the flowers will know 
it is time to come to the party.” 

“ Thank you,” said Mother Nature. 
“ I am glad to have you do that, 
for then no one will be late.” 


IO4 


Then she called, “ Dandelions ! 
What would you like to do, 
to make your friends happy, 
so that you’ll be happy too ? ” 

“ Mother dear,” they cried, 

“ would you like to have us make 
yellow stars over the garden ? ” 

“ I should like it very much,” 
said Mother Nature. 

“ Dear Violets,” said she, 

“what would you like to do, 
to make your friends happy, 
so that you’ll be happy too?” 






“We will smile,” the violets said, 
to each flower as it comes in.” 


“ Thank you, that will be fine 
for you to do.” 

“Buttercups,” said Mother Nature, 
“what would you like to do, 
to make your friends happy, 
so that you’ll be happy too ? ” 

“We will give you our cups,” 
said the buttercups, 

“to serve each little flower 
with drops of dew.” 

“ Thank you, pretty Buttercups,” 
said Mother Nature. 

106 


“ I knew I could depend on you. 

The flowers will be thirsty, 
and they will thank you, too.” 

“ Come, Lilies of the valley,” 

Mother Nature called, 

“what would you like to do, 
to make your friends happy, 
so that you’ll be happy too ? ” 

The little lilies whispered, 

“We will give our perfume. 

Do you think the flowers 
would like to have us do that?” 

“ I do, indeed,” said Mother Nature. 

“Look!” cried Mother Nature, 
“Here come the Busy Bees!” 


107 



“ Busy Bees,” she called, 

“what would you like to do, 
to make your friends happy, 
so that you’ll be happy too ? ” 

“ Mother dear, we will sing 
a soft, sweet little song. 

We will sing and sing, 
we will sing it all day long.” 

“Thank you,” said Mother Nature, 
“we like to hear your songs.” 

“ Little Breezes, Little Breezes,” 
Mother Nature called, 

108 


“what would you like to do, 
to make your friends happy, 
so that you’ll be happy too?” 

“We will play with the flowers,” 
the breezes cried, 

“and we will teach them all 
to dance, to dance in a ring.” 

The flowers heard the breezes. 
They clapped their hands 
and cried, “ How glad we are 
to have the breezes come ! ” 

“ Here is J ack-in-the-pulpit,” 
said Mother Nature. 

“ Dear J ack-in-the-pulpit, 
what would you like to do, 
to make your friends happy, 
so that you’ll be happy too ? ” 


109 


“Mother,” said Jack, “let me think. 
I will stand tall in my pulpit 
and bid them good-by 
when the party is over.” 

“ That is what I want,” 
said Mother Nature. 

The dandelions came first, 
and with their stars of gold 
made the garden beautiful. 

The bluebells rang their bells 
as loud as they could ring. 

“We are very glad to see you,” 
said the violets. 

Then came the buttercups 
with their pretty cups of gold. 


no 


“ Let us serve you,” 
cried the happy buttercups. 

And all the flowers drank 
from the little golden cups. 

Next came the lilies, 
with bells of perfume sweet. 

They sprinkled perfume over all. 

They sprinkled all the garden. 

They sprinkled it everywhere. 

All the flowers liked 
the lovely perfume. 

They cried, “ How sweet! How sweet!” 

Soon the bees came. 

They were humming their sweetest songs. 
The flowers liked to hear them. 


hi 


The breezes began to dance, 
and all the little flowers 
danced with them, too. 

Oh, what a happy time 
every little flower had ! 


At last Jack-in-the-pulpit 
spoke with all his might, 
and to the flowers he said, 

“ I wish you all good-night.” 



112 
























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